Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant is designed to be a concise and compulsively usable resource for Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 administrators. This is the readable resource guide that you’ll want on your desk at all times. The book covers everything you need to perform the core administrative tasks for Exchange Server 2003. Because the focus is on giving you maximum value in a pocket-sized guide, you don’t have to wade through hundreds of pages of extraneous information to find what you’re looking for. Instead, you’ll find exactly what you need to get the job done.
In short, the book is designed to be the one resource you turn to whenever you have questions regarding Exchange Server 2003 administration. To this end, the book zeroes in on daily administration procedures, frequently used tasks, documented examples, and options that are representative although not necessarily inclusive. One of the goals is to keep the content so concise that the book remains compact and easy to navigate, while ensuring that the book is packed with as much information as possible—making it a valuable resource. Thus, instead of a hefty 1000-page tome or a lightweight 100-page quick reference, you get a valuable resource guide that can help you quickly and easily perform common tasks, solve problems, and implement advanced Exchange Server 2003 technologies like virtual servers, X.400 message stacks, and routing group connectors.
Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant covers the standard, enterprise, and conference versions of Exchange Server 2003. The book is designed for
Current Exchange Server 2003 administrators
Current Windows administrators who want to learn Exchange Server 2003
Administrators upgrading to Exchange Server 2003 from Microsoft Exchange 5.5
Administrators upgrading to Exchange Server 2003 from Microsoft Exchange 2000
Administrators transferring from other messaging servers
Managers and supervisors who have been delegated authority to manage mailboxes or other aspects of Exchange Server 2003
To pack in as much information as possible, I had to assume that you have basic networking skills and a basic understanding of e-mail and messaging servers. With this in mind, I don’t devote entire chapters to understanding why e-mail systems are needed or how e-mail systems work. I don’t devote entire chapters to installing Exchange Server 2003 either. I do, however, provide complete details on the components of Exchange organizations and how you can use these components to build a fully redundant and highly available messaging environment. You will also find complete details on all the essential Exchange administration tasks.
I also assume that you are fairly familiar with Windows Server 2003. If you need help learning Windows Server 2003, I highly recommend Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant.
Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant is designed to be used in the daily administration of Exchange Server 2003, and as such, the book is organized by job-related tasks rather than by Exchange Server 2003 features. If you are reading this book, you should be aware of the relationship between Pocket Consultants and Administrator’s Companions. Both types of books are designed to be a part of an administrator’s library. Whereas Pocket Consultants are the down-and-dirty, in-the-trenches books, Administrator’s Companions are the comprehensive tutorials and references that cover every aspect of deploying a product or technology in the enterprise.
Speed and ease of reference is an essential part of this hands-on guide. The book has an expanded table of contents and an extensive index for finding answers to problems quickly. Many other quick reference features have been added as well. These features include quick step-by-step instructions, lists, tables with fast facts, and extensive cross-references. The book is broken down into both parts and chapters. Each part contains an opening paragraph or two about the chapters contained in that part.
Part I, covers the fundamental tasks you need for Exchange Server 2003 administration. Chapter 1 provides an overview of Exchange Server 2003 administration concepts, tools, and techniques. Chapter 2 covers Exchange client setup and management. Chapter 3 extends the Exchange client discussion and looks at mobile Microsoft Office Outlook users as well as Microsoft Outlook Web Access. With more and more users working on the road or from home, this chapter helps ensure that you can give these mobile users the best support possible.
In Part II, I show you how to manage resources that are stored in the Active Directory database. You’ll also learn about the Exchange Server 2003 features that are integrated with Active Directory services. Chapter 4 examines essential concepts and tasks that you need to know to work with Exchange Server 2003. Chapter 5 takes a look at creating and managing users and contacts. You’ll learn all about Exchange aliases, enabling and disabling exchange mail for individual users, forwarding mail off-site, and more. Chapter 6 discusses mailbox administration, including techniques for configuring, moving, and recovering mailboxes. In Chapter 7, you’ll find a detailed discussion of how to use address lists, distribution groups, and templates. You’ll also learn how to manage these resources. The final chapter in this part covers directory security and Exchange policies.
Part III, covers Exchange Server 2003 data store administration. In Chapter 9, you learn how to manage Exchange data and storage groups. Chapter 10 examines administration of mailbox and public folder stores. Chapter 11 looks at how you can use public folders in the enterprise. Finally, Chapter 12 details how to back up and restore Exchange Server. You’ll learn key techniques that can help you reliably back up and more importantly, recover Exchange Server in case of failure.
In Part IV, I discuss advanced tasks for managing and maintaining Exchange organizations. Chapter 13 provides the essentials for managing servers, administrative groups, and routing groups. You’ll also learn how to configure global settings for the organization. Chapter 14 explores message routing within the organization. The discussion starts with a look at the X.400 Message Transfer Agent and X.400 stacks, then goes on to detail how to install and use connectors for routing groups, SMTP, and X.400. Chapter 15 explores tasks for configuring SMTP, IMAP4, and POP3 virtual servers. Chapter 16 covers HTTP virtual servers and also discusses how they are used with Outlook Web Access and Outlook Mobile Access. Finally, Chapter 17 discusses Exchange maintenance, monitoring, and queuing.
I’ve used a variety of elements to help keep the text clear and easy to follow. You’ll find code terms and listings in monospace type, except when I tell you to actually type a command. In that case, the command appears in bold type. When I introduce and define a new term, I put it in italics.
Other conventions include the following:
Best Practices
To examine the best technique to use when working with advanced configuration and administration concepts
I truly hope you find that Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant provides everything you need to perform essential administrative tasks as quickly and efficiently as possible. You’re welcome to send your thoughts to me at [email protected]. Thank you.
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this book. Microsoft Press provides corrections for books through the World Wide Web at the following address:
http://www.microsoft.com/mspress/Support/default.asp
If you have comments, questions, or ideas about this book or the companion disc, please send them to Microsoft Press using either of the following methods:
Postal Mail:
Microsoft Press Attn: Editor, Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Administrator’s Pocket Consultant One Microsoft Way Redmond, WA 98052-6399
E-mail:
Please note that product support isn’t offered through the mail addresses. For support information about Exchange Server 2003, you can call Exchange Server 2003 Standard Support at (800) 936-4900 weekdays between 6 A.M. and 6 P.M. Pacific time.